Published date: 23 January 2025

Awarded contract - This means that the contract has been awarded to a supplier.


Closing: 20 December 2024, 5pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Evaluation consultancy services - 79419000

Location of contract

BS1 6AL

Value of contract

£50,000 to £70,000

Procurement reference

CF-0005000DWS000000ED3p2AG

Published date

23 January 2025

Closing date

20 December 2024

Closing time

5pm

Contract start date

23 January 2025

Contract end date

30 September 2026

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (below threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No


Description

The Mayoral Priority Skills Fund (MPSF) was created to provide flexible grant funding to meet current priority skills gaps in the region. Priorities have been identified through robust intelligence gathered through delivery of previous and existing programmes, data, reports, and gaps identified through our other services, such as Skills Connect. The aim was to have a Fund that was flexible enough to respond to identified gaps where there are no other means of funding, or to bridge gaps in funding which may otherwise lead to gaps in vital skills provision. It also aimed to enable innovation and the ability to test interventions where there are gaps.

This first round of MPSF funding (known as 'phase one') consisted of £2,580,665 from the Mayoral Combined Authority Investment Fund and £3,200,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), providing almost £5.8 million to address gaps in provision for the region.

Phase one of MPSF commenced in July 2023 and is due to come to an end in December 2025. There are 16 projects funded under phase one. 15 projects were funded until March 2025 (known as 'call one') under several themes (see below). A few of these projects will continue to be funded until September 2025 using some underspend (known as 'continuation funding for call one projects'). A 16th project, Union Learn West, is due to start delivery imminently and will run until December 2025. Individual projects have received between £50,175 - £1,413,000.

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority are now looking to procurement a final evaluation of phase one that looks at both the impact that phase one has had on the region, and what we can learn from the implementation and delivery models of phase one that could be fed into the implementation of phase two.

The successful tenderer will deliver a final process, impact, and value for money evaluation of phase one of the MPSF to answer the research questions set out below. The evaluation will ensure useful learning is provided for the MCA but also that we well prepared to submit evidence of impact to the Government as part of future Gateway Review processes.


Award information

Awarded date

17 January 2025

Contract start date

23 January 2025

Contract end date

30 September 2026

Total value of contract

£66,800

This contract was awarded to 1 supplier.

ERS Ltd

Address

Floor A Milburn House
Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE

Reference

None


About the buyer

Contact name

Darron Jones

Address

Rivergate House, 70 Redcliff Street, Redcliffe
Bristol
BS1 6AL
United Kingdom

Telephone

07436601482

Email

darron.jones@westofengland-ca.gov.uk